Petrina Francis, Education ReporterTHERE WERE numerous reports of furniture shortage and a few incidents of late registration for the reopening of schools in central and eastern parishes, yesterday.
Several other schools reported that their attempts to conduct improvement exercises over the summer holidays were restricted because of the lack of assistance from the Ministry of Education.
At the Golden Spring Primary School, Joycelyn Bennett, school principal, reported that the school's parent-teacher association and members of the business community undertook extensive rehabilitation of the school's sanitary facilities.
Thelma James, principal of the Oberlin High School in Lawrence Tavern, St. Andrew, said her school was also neglected by the Ministry. She said only four of the 42 classrooms at the school were equipped with desks for the teachers, while there was need for a further 300 desks and chairs for students.
At the New Day Primary and Junior High School in Grants Pen, St. Andrew, students were settled in their classes from very early in the morning, but a few parents were still seen completing late registration.
INADEQUATE SPACE
Meanwhile in Manchester, Wesley Baker, principal of Bryce All-Age, described the school's furniture as "ancient" and Rev. Fitzroy Williams, principal of the Christiana High School, said his school was in need of an additional block as the current available space was inadequate to comfortably accommodate its 2,400 pupils.
Contacted yesterday Dorett Campbell, director of communications in the Ministry of Education said the ministry was aware of some of the problems but noted that "the reality is that we are operating in the context of limited resources".
Gleaner correspondent Byron McDaniel and Damion Mitchell contributed to this story
More stories in NEWS section.
